Abyssal is some of the most fucked-up death metal I've heard in a LONG time, definitely a long-time favorite for me.

Fully agreed. Abyssal's Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius is the top of the pile so far for me. I hate to use the word "atmosphere", but I will say the guitar tone and ominous riffing on tracks like "Created Sick; Commanded to be Well" line things up perfectly to my weary ears. I feel all the over-used clichés are justified for this album: dark, foreboding, suffocating, oppressive, and yes, cavernous.

Vasaeleth's All Uproarious Darkness did not grab me at first listen, but it's been sinking in more with each listen (usually twice in a row due to length). I need to spend more time on that one. Looks to be a good year for death metal, and I have not even heard the new Grave Miasma or the Engulfed LP yet.

Another year is almost over, so it's about time again to look back on which releases were really killer in 2013. If you'd like to participate in our BEST OF 2013 poll, please go here http://www.voicesfromthedarkside.de/shop_content.php?coID=7 and send us a list of your 10 favorite releases of 2013 (no matter if it's a demo, EP, mini album or full length) until December 30, 2013. We will publish the results in early 2014. Spread the word!!

Tribulation Formulas of Death
Demonical Darkness Unbound
Vorum Poisoned Void
Cerekloth In The Midst Of Life We Are In Death
Verminous Unholy Communion
Interment / Brutally Deceased (split) Glory Days, Festering Years
Sorcery Arrival At Six
Necrowretch Putrid Death Sorcery

held up to last year with bands like Necrovation, Morbus Chron, Nominon, Masachist, Degial, and Unleashed I think it's about even for me.

Just added Bolzer 'Aura' ep cause it's a very powerful and dark opus. That tremolo (Trey Azagthoth docet ) on "Entranced by the Wolfshook" really kill me and can't go out from my head. Probably track of the year.

Also the mood is very 'astral' to me, a thing that seems to come from deep space.